Alexis Sanchez double downs Sunderland as Arsenal take top-four fight to the final day

Alexis Sanchez, left, scored both goals in Arsenal's 2-0 win over Sunderland. Sean Dempsey / EPA

Arsenal 2 Sunderland 0

Arsenal: Sanchez (72', 81')

LONDON // Arsenal kept their Premier League top-four hopes alive heading into the final day of the season thanks to a 2-0 victory over Sunderland on Wednesday night.

Two goals from Alexis Sanchez moved Arsene Wenger’s side to within a point of Liverpool in the race for the Uefa Champions League places, with Everton set to visit the Emirates stadium this weekend.

Arsenal will realistically need to win that game and hope that Jurgen Klopp’s men slip up against Middlesbrough to qualify for Europe’s leading club competition, although a draw could be enough if Liverpool lose at Anfield.

And Wenger was delighted that his team were able to close the gap in front of their own supporters.

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“It was a game we absolutely had to win, and we did it,” the Frenchman said.

“We have 72 points now and we have to focus to get to 75. That did not look likely to happen three or four weeks ago, but we needed to be patient and it took us a while to get into our rhythm.

“We can talk and talk and talk, but let’s make 75 points. if you look at the points we can make it’s one of the best in the last 10 years.”

Sanchez was the difference between the two teams on the night, scoring twice to take his goals tally for the season to 23.

And Wenger was full of praise for the Chile international, who was initially expected to miss the match through injury.

“With him, you know, I feel he had something still [to give]. Once he’s on the pitch and he gets the ball he becomes always a devil and forgets his pain,” Wenger said.

“I think nobody questions his desire and quality. If you look at his numbers, he has developed here as a player and become a top-class player. He has not wasted his time here and hopefully that will last for a long time.”

Sunderland, who have already been relegated to the Championship, will take on champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

It has been a miserable season for David Moyes and the club, but the Scot could not fault his players’ effort at the Emirates.

“I thought the team did a lot of good things ... I thought they showed great character,” he said.

“We set up to try to make it difficult for Arsenal and for long periods I thought we did that. We created opportunities and the players worked really hard. I thought we passed the ball well when we got it, and the players played like they have played for eight or nine weeks.

“But because we can’t get the first goal, it makes it really difficult. If we had got the first goal tonight maybe we’d have given ourselves something to hang onto.”

In the end Sunderland did not manage any goal at all, as Arsenal ultimately proved too strong for the visitors.

And although Wenger tried to play down the importance of Champions League football, he said he is desperate to see Arsenal qualify for the competition this weekend.

“I answer for 20 years the question: ‘is top four anything special?’ So I don’t know why, suddenly, it could become such a big problem. I’m quite surprised,” he said.

“I want to absolutely make sure we are in there, but let’s get to 75 points and see what happens.”

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